These three classics from the master of the noir novel, along with five otherwise unavailable short stories, are electric with the taut narrative voice, the suspense, and the explosive violence and eroticism that were James M. Cain's indelible hallmarks.The Postman Always Rings Twice," Cain's first novel--tried for obscenity in Boston, the inspiration for Camus's The Stranger--is the fever-pitched tale of a drifter who stumbles into a job, into an obsessional passion, and into a murder. Double Indemnity--which followed "Postman so quickly, Cain's readers hardly had a chance to catch their breath--is a tersely narrated story of a blind, excessive love, duplicity, and, of course, murder. Mildred Pierce, a work of acute psychological observation and devastating emotional violence, is the tale of a woman with a taste for shiftless men and an unreasoned devotion to her monstrous daughter. All three novels were immortalized in classic Hollywood films. Also included here are five masterful stories--"Pastorale," "The Baby in the Icebox," "Dead Man," "Brush Fire," "The Girl in the Storm"--that have been out of print for decades. …More

A young, frightened, foreign woman appears at the door of an isolated house. The man and woman inside take her in. Other strangers appear in pursuit of the girl. Menace is in the air.Originally published in 1933, Hammett's Woman in the Dark shows the author at the peak of his narrative powers. With an introduction by Robert B. Parker, the author of the celebrated Spenser novels.…More

From some of the most acclaimed mystery and suspense authors today come new stories for this anthology compiled by the legendary editor Otto Penzler, owner of the Mysterious Bookshop in New York and founder of the Mysterious Press and Otto Penzler books. …More

Stories and Early Novels includes every story that Chandler did not later incorporate into a novel - thirteen in all. Drawn from the pages of Black Mask and Dime Detective, these stories show how Chandler adapted the violent conventions of the pulp magazines - with their brisk exposition and rapid-fire dialogue - to his own emerging vision of 20th-century America. Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels contains a newly researched chronology of Chandler's life, explanatory notes, and an essay on the texts. …More

Compellingly and compulsively readable, this collection includes 36 superbly suspenseful stories which chronicle the evolution of this quintessentially American art form, from its earliest beginnings in the 1920s to the arrival of the tough digest formats in the 1950s to the present-day hard-boiled stories by such writers as James Ellroy. Contributors include Ed Gorman, Jim Thompson, Evan Hunter (better known as Ed McBain), and others. …More

On an island off the coast of Maine, a man is found dead. There's no identification on the body. Only the dogged work of a pair of local newspapermen and a graduate student in forensics turns up any clues.

But that's just the beginning of the mystery. Because the more they learn about the man and the baffling circumstances of his death, the less they understand. Was it an impossible crime? Or something stranger still...?

No one but Stephen King could tell this story about the darkness at the heart of the unknown and our compulsion to investigate the unexplained. With echoes of Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon and the work of Graham Greene, one of the world's great storytellers presents a surprising tale that explores the nature of mystery itself...

"OFF THE WALL" WRITING & DRAWING CONTEST FOR TEENS BEGINS
MARCH 1 - APRIL 1, 2014Enter poems, stories, drawings, comics, or
any other original creative work. Entries are due April 1, 2014. The
best stories, poems, and art will be printed in the "Off the Wall",
Hackley Library's publication by and for teens. Contest rules are
available at Hackley Public Library.ALL ARTWORK MUST BE IN BLACK AND WHITE

Scrapbooking

10:00 AM, Saturday, March 1

Learn
the basics of scrapbooking! Hear tips and get assistance in creating
memorable scrapbooks, collages, and other gifts for your loved ones.
They make great gifts for birthdays, graduations, and other special
occasions. Scrapbooking materials and tools will be provided including
paper, scissors, stickers, embellishments, letters, stencils, a Cricut
die-cut machine, and much more! Lead by Jacqui Bernhardt.

STEVENS PUPPETS PRESENTS "RUMPELSTILTSKIN"
2:00 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014A fantastic rendition of
"Rumpelstiltskin" will be performed by the beautiful marionettes of
Stevens Puppets. Join us in witnessing the "fly-apart" marionette, the
first of its kind, and an original American art form.

Hackley Handy Crafts

6:00 PM, Monday, March 3:

Join
craft maven Nancy Harman on the first Monday of each month. Learn a new
craft or practice one you already know. These are geared towards older
teens and grownups. Bring a photo and a piece of wood at least as
large as the photo. These are free, and open to the public. Brought to
you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library.

Rails Across Lake Michigan

6:00 PM, Tuesday, March 4:

Michigan’s Lake Michigan Railroad ferrries literally created rails across Lake Michigan
from the Michigan ports of Muskegon, Grand Haven, Ludington and
Frankfort to the Wisconsin ports of Milwaukee, Manitowoc, Kewanee, and
Sturgeon Bay.

This program, featuring slides of vintage postcards and photos, describes the rise and fall of these great ferry systems.

Tom Buettner has been giving his programs to West Michigan communities for 22 years.

A
resident of Caledonia, Michigan, Tom is noted for presenting programs
addressing a multitude of topics – each one well-researched - each one
presented in a refreshing manor. This one will be no exception. Brought
to you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library.

The
Brad Fritcher + trois project consists of four eager musicians who are
expanding their artistic vision beyond the strict confines of the jazz
genre’s tradition. After the first rehearsal on GVSU’s campus, the trio
of Brad Fritcher (trumpet), Dutcher Snedeker (piano) and Christian
VanDuinen (drums) knew immediately that they were working with something
valuable. Shortly thereafter, Ryan Wallace drifted into the bass
position and into the studio at Blue Lake Public Radio they went. The
album that came forth is one that conveys each member’s ability to
communicate intellectually and musically to themselves, each other and
the listener. After the release of the album, Blue Lake Studio Sessions,
the Brad Fritcher + trois continues to tether audiences to their
concepts and their sound with live and intimate performances.

In addition, they went live on Jazz From Blue Lakewith Lazaro Vega on May 13. Their debut album Blue Lake Studio Sessions
was released on June 11. Their distribution includes, but is not
limited to, (iTunes, Amazon MP3, Spotify, Last.fm, Rhapsody, emusic,
& Google Play). They debuted in eastern Michigan at Detroit’s best
kept secret, Jazz Cafe at Music Hall.

Michigan in the Civil War

6:00 PM, Tuesday March 11

This
lecture and visual presentation was developed over a 5 year period by
Al and Dave Eicher. More than 150 Michigan research centers such as
Libraries, historical societies and individuals contributed information
and photographs. The presentation includes visits to the many Historic
sites relating to Civil War events in Michigan and old photos of places
where the recruits joined the Union cause. The producer’s television
cameras also went to the Harper’s Ferry Arsenal, Gettysburg Battle
fields, the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, the crossing of the
Rappahannock River, Petersburg, Bull Run and Fredericksburg. Michigan
men and women were there! Today, Michigan has many Civil War reenactment
groups which each year set up camps at Old Fort Wayne, Caseville,
Huron City, Port Austin and at Jackson, Michigan to name only a few
locations. The Jackson event is the largest encampment next to
Gettysburg. Nearly, 2,300 troops took part in various battles scenes and
are featured in this lecture. This presentation is unique in that it
develops a month by month timeline of events in Michigan and at the
Eastern battlefields. At the beginning of the war, in April of 1861,
Michigan had about 1200 men and a few officers in the State Militia. By
January of 1865 nearly 89,000 Michigan soldiers had served in the war.
This program in 77 minutes tells true stories about Michigan people and
Governor Blair’s search for troops to meet Lincoln’s request. The music
and sounds created at the reenactment events make this a very special
program relating to Michigan’s role in the Civil War.

Brought to you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library.

Tech Wednesday-Goodreads and Library Thing
3:00 pm, Wednesday, March 12:
Tech Wednesdays are 30-60 minute long mini watch-and-learn classes on
technical topics. They are held in the Julia Hackley Room twice a
month at 3:00 pm and are free and open to the public. Feel free to
bring your own laptop and follow along.
March 12 Goodreads/Library Thing

SPANISH FOR KIDS
11:00 AM, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2014FUN FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-10Learn Spanish with cultural
immersion and total physical response method. Cindy Vogel, former
bilingual Spanish teacher Grand Haven Public Schools, will lead the
program.

Friday, February 21, 2014

WINTER PLAYDATE & STORY FUN (THURSDAY MORNING SESSIONS)
11:00 AM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014FUN FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-7.Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holiday tales and special fun. The session will end with a craft project.SIGN UP IS REQUIRED--Call 231-722-7276 Ext. 230 to register.

BLACK HISTORY CALENDAR CONTEST AWARDS
2:00 PM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014Student artists --- winners in the
Black History Calendar Contest --- are honored at this event. Attendees
will get a sneak preview of their art which will appear in this spring's
HPL Black History Calendar.

Listening Room-JLTW featuring Lewellen Pepper

6:00 PM, Monday, February 24: JLTW featuring Lewellen Pepper

The Listening Room features another local group with JLTW featuring Lewellen Pepper

WINTER PLAYDATE & STORY FUN (MONDAY EVENING SESSION)
6:45 PM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2014FUN FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-7.Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holiday tales and special fun. The session will end with a craft project.SIGN UP IS REQUIRED--Call 231-722-7276 Ext. 230 to register.

Insurances What do I need to protect my business and me?

5:30 PM, Tuesday, February 25

Every
business has certain risks related to its operations. Thus, to protect
the business and your personal assets, insurance coverage is critical.
Knowing what type of insurance is required and how to obtain that
insurance for your business are the questions this workshop will
address. Topics include:

The kinds of insurance coverage that are needed for which kinds of risks

Valuing buildings, personal property and evaluating risks

Use of personal cars for business

Issues related to subcontractors

How to evaluate the insurance and identify provisions of contracts.

Lead by Andrew Price of McKenzie Price Insurance Company.

Brought
to you through Score, a national organization of active and retired
businessmen and women who volunteer their time to share their expertise
with small businesses as well as new business start-ups. Their
objective is to help America’s small businesses grow and prosper.

Tech Wednesday-Excel

3:00 pm, Wednesday, February 26

Tech
Wednesdays are 30-60 minute long mini watch-and-learn classes on
technical topics. They are held in the Julia Hackley Room twice a month
at 3:00 pm and are free and open to the public. Feel free to bring
your own laptop and follow along.

February 26-Excel

WINTER PLAYDATE & STORY FUN (THURSDAY MORNING SESSIONS)
11:00 AM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014FUN FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-7.Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holiday tales and special fun. The session will end with a craft project.SIGN UP IS REQUIRED--Call 231-722-7276 Ext. 230 to register.

"OFF THE WALL" WRITING & DRAWING CONTEST FOR TEENS BEGINS
MARCH 1 - APRIL 1, 2014Enter poems, stories, drawings, comics, or
any other original creative work. Entries are due April 1, 2014. The
best stories, poems, and art will be printed in the "Off the Wall",
Hackley Library's publication by and for teens. Contest rules are
available at Hackley Public Library.ALL ARTWORK MUST BE IN BLACK AND WHITE

Scrapbooking

10:00 AM, Saturday, March 1

Learn
the basics of scrapbooking! Hear tips and get assistance in creating
memorable scrapbooks, collages, and other gifts for your loved ones.
They make great gifts for birthdays, graduations, and other special
occasions. Scrapbooking materials and tools will be provided including
paper, scissors, stickers, embellishments, letters, stencils, a Cricut
die-cut machine, and much more! Lead by Jacqui Bernhardt.

STEVENS PUPPETS PRESENTS "RUMPELSTILTSKIN"
2:00 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014A fantastic rendition of
"Rumpelstiltskin" will be performed by the beautiful marionettes of
Stevens Puppets. Join us in witnessing the "fly-apart" marionette, the
first of its kind, and an original American art form.

Hackley Handy Crafts

6:00 PM, Monday, March 3:

Join
craft maven Nancy Harman on the first Monday of each month. Learn a new
craft or practice one you already know. These are geared towards older
teens and grownups. Bring a photo and a piece of wood at least as
large as the photo. These are free, and open to the public. Brought to
you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library.

Rails Across Lake Michigan

6:00 PM, Tuesday, March 4:

Michigan’s Lake Michigan Railroad ferrries literally created rails across Lake Michigan
from the Michigan ports of Muskegon, Grand Haven, Ludington and
Frankfort to the Wisconsin ports of Milwaukee, Manitowoc, Kewanee, and
Sturgeon Bay.

This program, featuring slides of vintage postcards and photos, describes the rise and fall of these great ferry systems.

Tom Buettner has been giving his programs to West Michigan communities for 22 years.

A
resident of Caledonia, Michigan, Tom is noted for presenting programs
addressing a multitude of topics – each one well-researched - each one
presented in a refreshing manor. This one will be no exception. Brought
to you through the generosity of the Friends of Hackley Library.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Kids, join us for a lego-building good time as we use our imaginations to come up with cool constructions. Remember, we'll supply the Legos, you supply the ideas.

HACKLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED IN HONOR OF PRESIDENTS' DAY

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2014

WINTER PLAYDATE & STORY FUN (THURSDAY MORNING SESSIONS)

11:00 AM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

FUN FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-7.

Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holiday tales and special fun. The session will end with a craft project.

SIGN UP IS REQUIRED--Call 231-722-7276 Ext. 230 to register.

BLACK HISTORY CALENDAR CONTEST AWARDS

2:00 PM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014

Student artists --- winners in the Black History Calendar Contest --- are honored at this event. Attendees will get a sneak preview of their art which will appear in this spring's HPL Black History Calendar.

Listening Room-JLTW featuring Lewellen Pepper

6:00 PM, Monday, February 24: JLTW featuring Lewellen Pepper

The Listening Room features another local group with JLTW featuring Lewellen Pepper

WINTER PLAYDATE & STORY FUN (MONDAY EVENING SESSION)

6:45 PM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2014

FUN FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-7.

Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holiday tales and special fun. The session will end with a craft project.

SIGN UP IS REQUIRED--Call 231-722-7276 Ext. 230 to register.

Insurances What do I need to protect my business and me?

5:30 PM, Tuesday, February 25

Every business has certain risks related to its operations. Thus, to protect the business and your personal assets, insurance coverage is critical. Knowing what type of insurance is required and how to obtain that insurance for your business are the questions this workshop will address. Topics include:

The kinds of insurance coverage that are needed for which kinds of risks

Valuing buildings, personal property and evaluating risks

Use of personal cars for business

Issues related to subcontractors

How to evaluate the insurance and identify provisions of contracts.

Lead by Andrew Price of McKenzie Price Insurance Company.

Brought to you through Score, a national organization of active and retired businessmen and women who volunteer their time to share their expertise with small businesses as well as new business start-ups. Their objective is to help America’s small businesses grow and prosper.

Tech Wednesday-Excel

3:00 pm, Wednesday, February 26

Tech Wednesdays are 30-60 minute long mini watch-and-learn classes on technical topics. They are held in the Julia Hackley Room twice a month at 3:00 pm and are free and open to the public. Feel free to bring your own laptop and follow along.

February 26-Excel

WINTER PLAYDATE & STORY FUN (THURSDAY MORNING SESSIONS)

11:00 AM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014

FUN FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-7.

Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holiday tales and special fun. The session will end with a craft project.

SIGN UP IS REQUIRED--Call 231-722-7276 Ext. 230 to register.

"OFF THE WALL" WRITING & DRAWING CONTEST FOR TEENS BEGINS

MARCH 1 - APRIL 1, 2014

Enter poems, stories, drawings, comics, or any other original creative work. Entries are due April 1, 2014. The best stories, poems, and art will be printed in the "Off the Wall", Hackley Library's publication by and for teens. Contest rules are available at Hackley Public Library.

ALL ARTWORK MUST BE IN BLACK AND WHITE

Scrapbooking

10:00 AM, Saturday, March 1

Learn the basics of scrapbooking! Hear tips and get assistance in creating memorable scrapbooks, collages, and other gifts for your loved ones. They make great gifts for birthdays, graduations, and other special occasions. Scrapbooking materials and tools will be provided including paper, scissors, stickers, embellishments, letters, stencils, a Cricut die-cut machine, and much more! Lead by Jacqui Bernhardt.

STEVENS PUPPETS PRESENTS "RUMPELSTILTSKIN"

2:00 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014

A fantastic rendition of "Rumpelstiltskin" will be performed by the beautiful marionettes of Stevens Puppets. Join us in witnessing the "fly-apart" marionette, the first of its kind, and an original American art form.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

We like to read, and we like to share what we read! This is a list of recent favorites.

STAFF PICKS

A Dazzling Tribute to Josephine Baker

Josephine,
Patricia Hruby Powell's new children's picture book, arrives just in
time for Black History Month. The free-verse text coupled with beautiful
illustrations by Christian Robinson bring the essence of Josephine
Baker's outstanding musical talent and vivacious personality into the
spotlight. Powell takes young readers from Josephine's impoverished
childhood to her death, and chronicles her struggles with racial
discrimination, her rise to fame, her acclaimed performances and her
efforts to spy against the Nazis during WWII. Josephine is a fitting tribute to an indisputable American legend.

Want to see all the staff picks? In Encore (our catalog) search for HPL Staff Picks.
To sign up for this, or any of our newsletters, check out our Newsletter sign up page.

Edward Warren left his family after an irreparable
fight with his father, and learns that his dad lies comatose in a
hospital, gravely injured. Edward wants to terminate life support and
donate his father's organs. Is he motivated by altruism or revenge? To
what lengths will his sister go to stop him from making an irrevocable
decision? …More

When authorities threaten to take 12-year-old Sophie
away from Charles, who has been her guardian since she was one and both
survived a shipwreck, the pair goes to Paris to find Sophie's mother,
and they are aided by Matteo and his band of "rooftoppers."
…More

After Nicole Perkins opens her store, The Christmas
Attic, in Fool's Gold, California, business is booming; and, as a bonus,
gorgeous army doctor Gabriel Boylan has offered to help out during the
holiday rush. …More

Stephen King returns to the character and territory
of one of his most popular novels ever, "The Shining," in this instantly
riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance and the very
special twelve-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous
paranormals. …More

All new and original to this volume, the 21 stories
in Dangerous Women include work by twelve New York Times bestsellers,
and seven stories set in the authors' bestselling
continuities--including a new "Outlander" story by Diana Gabaldon, a
tale of Harry Dresden's world by Jim Butcher, a story from Lev Grossman
set in the world of The Magicians, and a 35,000-word novella by George
R. R. Martin about the Dance of the Dragons, the vast civil war that
tore Westeros apart nearly two centuries before the events of A Game of
Thrones. …More

When wealthy Seth Hubbard hangs himself from a
sycamore tree and leaves his fortune to his black maid, Jake Brigance
once again finds himself embroiled in a fiercely controversial trial -- a
trial that will expose old racial tensions and force Ford County to
confront its tortured history. …More

"The author of the classic bestsellers The Secret
History and The Little Friend returns with a brilliant, highly
anticipated new novel. A young boy in New York City, Theo Decker,
miraculously survives an accident that takes the life of his mother.
Alone and abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by a friend's family
and struggles to make sense of his new life. In the years that follow,
he becomes entranced by one of the few things that reminds him of his
mother: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws
Theo into the art underworld. Composed with the skills of a master, The
Goldfinch is a haunted odyssey through present-day America, and a drama
of almost unbearable acuity and power. It is a story of loss and
obsession, survival and self-invention, and the enormous power of art"
…More